3 Rules to Create Balance as a Mompreneur

“Michelle, how do you do what you do?”  At the park the other day, I got this question from a friend and she wanted real answers.  So, I’ve been thinking and came up with my 3 Rules to Create Balance as a Mompreneur.  There are more, and I will get to those in a later post, but let’s start here.

The thing is that there is no secret to running a business and it isn’t magical, its hard work, but it makes me happy.  My brain is always going, cluttered with the next new idea.  Having a business gives my thoughts purpose and potential and that makes me happy.

What if business doesn’t make you happy?  Don’t do it.  It is too hard and the sacrifice is too great if it doesn’t bring you joy.  But, if you are like me and the thought of nurturing and growing a business makes your heart swell, here is the nitty-gritty of how I make it work.

Rule #1:  Never Compare Busy

We are all busy.  Really.  Every last one of us has a mile long to-do list and countless things we could be doing.  Also, we each have different life circumstances, talents, weaknesses, strengths, purposes and potential.  So, it is crazy to think that my day is going to look like your day.  Maybe your husband works all the time or maybe you have kids that need more attention or you need more sleep or your church calling is too demanding.  The list could go on.  We are all experiencing different life circumstances. So, one of my rules is to never compare busy.  I try to make the best choices I can for my family without thinking what others are doing. This is a constant battle, but one worth fighting.

Rule #2:  Everything Has a Cost.

There is a cost to everything we do.  Whether your passion is sewing, exercising, cooking or running a business, there is always a cost.  I stay at home with my kids while running my business.  That means that I work when they are sleeping/napping or when they are playing.  That also means that my house is not spotless all the time (or ever).  Laundry is my nemesis and it can go unfolded for days.  I try and keep my house picked up, but there are times when things go undone and luckily I have a husband who understands and accepts me.  That is part of the cost of my business.

I also do not watch T.V. or scroll through social media a lot when it is not business related.  That is a cost of my business.  I get up early in the morning to work before the kids get up.  That is a cost of my business.

Having passion for my business is no different from a runner who wakes up early, eats healthy and exercises hours a day.  They are paying the price for running in their next 10K.  They do it because they are passionate about it and it makes them happy.

Rule #3:  Only Do What You Love

Beauty Revived is my non-profit organization.  Photographers donate sessions to real women with real beauty and these sessions are posted every day on my blog.  Do you think I am the one posting those sessions every day? NO!  I am not.  I used to do it, but I don’t anymore.  I have a wonderful and talented assistant who does that.  She is so fast and good at it and I have other things in my business that I love to do WAY more than posting those sessions.  So, I outsourced that part of my business.

This is the real way that I make my businesses work.  If I had to do every aspect of my business, I would cry and I wouldn’t be able to do everything that I am actually really good at doing.  For example, my assistant designs graphics for me.  She is an amazing designer (you can see her work all over our website).  What would take me hours and hours of work in Photoshop, she does in minutes and she is much better at it than I am.  It just makes sense.

I know what you are thinking, I could never ever afford an assistant.  Well, I say, you are wrong.  When I first started outsourcing, I started with finding one of my dearest friends and I traded her help on Instagram in exchange for a family photo session (since I’m a photographer).  I’ve also paid people by the hour, for specific jobs, found college students and used Fiverr.

If you are just starting out, you are probably doing every aspect of your business.  I’ve been there.  So, I get it.  But, it is always good to consider outsourcing things that take you too much time.  When I sold dresses on Etsy, I outsourced my photography.  I created my dresses, sent them to her and she sent me back much better pictures than I could ever take on my own.

No, you can’t outsource everything, but you can outsource more than you are right now, I’m sure of it.  Letting go of the things that don’t make you happy, gives you more room to use your talents and grow your business.

So, there are my 3 Rules to Create Balance as a Mompreneur.  Now, I know, you are looking for specifics.  Awesome!  That will be my next post on some real life ways I make this mompreneur life happen.